PHYSICAL REVIEW D 102, 075019 (2020)
Simple hidden sector dark matter
Patrick Barnes ,1 Zachary Johnson ,1 Aaron Pierce ,1 and Bibhushan Shakya 2 1Leinweber Center for Theoretical Physics, Department of Physics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, USA 2CERN, Theoretical Physics Department, 1211 Geneva 23, Switzerland
(Received 13 June 2020; accepted 16 August 2020; published 16 October 2020)
A hidden sector that kinetically mixes with the minimal supersymmetric standard model provides simple and well-motivated dark matter candidates that possess many of the properties of a traditional weakly interacting massive particle (WIMP). These supersymmetric constructions can also provide a natural explanation for why the dark matter is at the weak scale even if it resides in a hidden sector. In the hidden sector, a natural pattern of symmetry breaking generally makes particles and their superpartners lie around the same mass scale, opening novel possibilities for a variety of cosmological histories and complex indirect detection signatures.
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevD.102.075019
I. MOTIVATION SM and hold no direct connection to a hierarchy problem solution. In particular, the WIMP miracle can be realized A thermally produced stable particle with a weak scale with order one couplings within a separate weak scale dark annihilation cross section reproduces the observed dark sector that only interacts very feebly with the SM. This idea matter relic abundance [1]. The weak scale is known to be was dubbed secluded dark matter in [9]. The existence of an important scale from the particle physics perspective, such secluded/hidden/dark sectors, with extended gauge and many beyond the Standard Model (BSM) theories groups, is well motivated from a string theory perspective, have dark matter (DM) candidates at this scale, often as and their interactions with the SM can give rise to several part of a solution to the hierarchy problem. This coinci- interesting phenomenological signatures (see [10] and dence has been dubbed the weakly interacting massive references therein). In particular, the kinetic mixing portal particle (WIMP) miracle, and thermal DM associated with [11], where a gauged Uð1Þ0 in a hidden sector mixes with hierarchy problem solutions has been the subject of intense the SM hypercharge Uð1Þ [12], has been extensively theoretical research as well as experimental searches. An Y studied in the literature, including in the context of dark example is the lightest supersymmetric particle (LSP) [2], matter that realizes its thermal abundance via the afore- stabilized by R-parity. However, even though several mentioned “WIMP” miracle, see, e.g., [9,13–16]. compelling arguments—ranging from gauge coupling uni- If the DM is near the weak scale but in a separate sector, fication to considerations of the underlying theory of it is of interest to understand how that sector knows about quantum gravity—provide reasons to believe that super- the weak scale. In supersymmetric theories, this may occur symmetry is part of the underlying description of nature, naturally if supersymmetry breaking is mediated to both the absence of signals at DM direct detection experiments sectors with approximately equal strength, as might hap- such as Xenon1T [3] and the nonobservation of super- pen, e.g., in theories of gravity mediation. In this case, the partners at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) have led to masses in the two sectors are correlated at some UV scale questions about whether the simplest instantiation of this but may be separated at lower energies by running effects. WIMP DM idea is realized in nature [4–6]. We use this line of argument to motivate hidden sector While it is possible that a weak scale cross section is spectra. While hidden sector particles such as heavy Z0’s associated with the Standard Model (SM) weak interactions are difficult to probe directly,1 the existence of such a themselves [7,8], it is not necessary. New dynamics (largely) hidden sector could have consequences for cos- associated with the DM particle may be unrelated to the mology, in particular for dark matter. Here we will work under the assumption that the two sectors are coupled strongly enough that the hidden and visible sectors Published by the American Physical Society under the terms of thermalize. the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International license. Further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the published article’s title, journal citation, 1For studies of possible phenomenological implications of and DOI. Funded by SCOAP3. hidden sector gauge bosons and their superpartners, see [17,18]).
2470-0010=2020=102(7)=075019(19) 075019-1 Published by the American Physical Society BARNES, JOHNSON, PIERCE, and SHAKYA PHYS. REV. D 102, 075019 (2020)
While this broad-brush picture has some appeal, it is of emerge from reasonable parameter choices in the UV. interest to ask whether the data from the LHC can tell us Section VII is devoted to the discussion of the decay more about such a supersymmetric setup. The absence of modes of various hidden sector particles. Direct detection superpartners at the LHC suggests the weak scale itself is and collider constraints are explored in Sec. VIII, followed somewhat fine-tuned, as does the Higgs boson mass, which by a discussion of indirect detection signals in Sec. IX.We requires large loop level corrections due to supersymmetry end with some concluding remarks in Sec. X. breaking [19–21]. In fact, the relatively large value of the observed Higgs boson mass suggests that the scale of II. A SIMPLE DARK SECTOR supersymmetry breaking is several TeV in the absence of In addition to the field content of the MSSM, we significant stop mixing in the minimal supersymmetric consider a dark/hidden sector with gauge group Uð1Þ0, “ ”— Standard Model (MSSM). This little hierarchy problem gauge coupling g0, and a trio of SM-singlet superfields: a wherein the weak scale is tuned at a subpercent level—might dark Higgs field Hˆ 0 with charge Q0 ¼þ1 (which breaks the simply be accidental, or find explanations in some anthropic Uð1Þ0 symmetry once the scalar component obtains a vev), or cosmological selection process. None of these need apply a superfield Tˆ with charge Q0 ¼ −1 (necessary for can- to the hidden sector, and as a consequence the vacuum cellation of anomalies related to Uð1Þ0), and a singlet expectation value (vev) in the hidden sector should be more ˆ 0 0 closely tied to the scale of supersymmetry breaking. superfield S with charge Q ¼ (necessary to enable a ˆ 0 ˆ 0 WIMP dark matter in minimal supersymmetric setups is scale-invariant superpotential involving H , T ). The most 1 0 made stable by assuming R-parity. This, however, does not general superpotential after imposing the above Uð Þ ˆ work for a hidden sector dark matter candidate if the hidden charges along with any symmetry under which both S sector spectrum is heavier than that of the visible sector, and Tˆ transform nontrivially is since the said dark matter candidate can decay into the W λˆ ˆ ˆ 0 visible sector even in the presence of R-parity. In this case, hid ¼ S T H : ð1Þ DM can instead be stabilized by other, perhaps accidental, symmetries realized in the hidden sector. Interestingly, This superpotential possesses a Z2 symmetry under which R-parity need not be conserved, and the breaking of both Sˆ and Tˆ are odd; this ensures the lightest particle in the ˆ ˆ R-parity might even be desirable, for instance, to break S − T system, which we will refer to as the lightest Z2 odd baryon number in order to realize baryogenesis, as particle (LZP), is stable and therefore a dark matter studied in [22]. candidate.3 We assume that the hidden sector communi- In this paper, we combine the above ideas to construct cates with the visible sector via supersymmetric kinetic simple and realistic models for hidden sector dark matter. mixing [29]: We assume this sector interacts with our own via super- Z symmetric kinetic mixing. All the ingredients—hidden ϵ d2θW W0 : : sectors, supersymmetry, and kinetic mixing—are well 2 Y þ H c motivated. In the absence of accidental tuning in the hidden ϵ ϵ 0 − μν 0 ϵ ˜ σμ∂ ˜ 0† ϵ ˜ 0σμ∂ ˜ † sector, no large mass hierarchies are expected between ¼ DYD 2FY Fμν þ i B μB þ i B μB ; ð2Þ hidden sector particles and their superpartners, so that a 0 multitude of particles can be involved in both dark matter where the WY, W represent the chiral field strength freeze-out as well as present day dark matter annihilation.2 multiplet for Uð1Þ hypercharge and the hidden sector Y ˜ Our study therefore illuminates the wide range of dynamics Uð1Þ0, respectively, and we use the notation B0 for the that can give rise to a WIMP-like miracle in well-motivated hidden sector gaugino. This basic set-up has previously hidden sectors. also been considered in the context of asymmetric dark The outline of the paper is as follows: In Sec. II, matter [30], as well as a way to generate dark matter at the we describe the field content of the hidden sector we GeV scale [31]. It was also considered in some detail in consider, outlining the possible dark matter candidates. [32], where some consequences for thermal histories and This is followed by detailed studies of fermion and scalar direct detection were considered. dark matter in Secs. III and IV, respectively. Section V We assume supersymmetry breaking induces a vev for pffiffiffi addresses cases where the mass gap between the dark H0 only, hH0i¼v0= 2. This vacuum will be preferred matter candidate and its superpartner is small, leading to when there is either a hierarchy between the soft masses coannihilation effects and long lifetimes. We then explore for the scalars, or if λ is large enough to overcome the relations between parameters in the UV and IR in Sec. VI, D-flatness condition (which favors hH0i¼hTi). This vev discussing how consistent cosmological histories can 3In contrast, a pure singlet superfield Sˆ that can couple to SM 2For related studies of dark matter in very supersymmetric fields would give rise to decaying dark matter via a neutrino hidden sectors, see [23]. portal, see e.g., [24–28].
075019-2 SIMPLE HIDDEN SECTOR DARK MATTER PHYS. REV. D 102, 075019 (2020)
0 0 0 provides the hidden gauge boson Z with a mass mZ0 ¼ g v between superpartners (i.e., because we assume less tuning) and combines the fermion components of Sˆ and Tˆ into a in the hidden sector, and since large values of λ in the UV pffiffiffi pffiffiffi 0 λ 2 0 Dirac fermion, which we denote ψ, with mψ ¼ λv = 2. will rapidly flow to the fixed point ¼ g , causing the For convenience, we define as usual α0 ≡ g02=4π and Yukawa and gauge corrections to the hidden sector Higgs 2 0 mass to partially cancel. The corrections can become αλ ≡ λ =4π. As we will discuss later (Sec. VI), αλ ¼ 2α λ is an RG fixed point where an accidental N ¼ 2 SUSY is significant for large values of , particularly in the case λ ≫ 0 restored; at this point the ψ, Z0, and H0 are degenerate. g , but we note that this occurs in a region of parameter The hidden neutralino sector has the following mass space where fine-tuning in the hidden sector is severe. In ˜ ˜ matrix in the B0, H0 basis: what follows, we therefore generally assume the tree level relation m 0 ¼ m 0 , and comment on places where this H Z assumption may fail. Finally, the kinetic mixing induces m ˜0 m 0 B Z 0 0 Mχ0 ¼ ; ð3Þ 0 corrections to the mass eigenvalues of both Z and H ,but mZ0 these are generally quite small. In the hidden scalar sector, the supersymmetry breaking with m ˜0 the hidden sector soft supersymmetry breaking B soft terms are gaugino mass parameter. The off-diagonal terms arise when 0 ˜ → 0 the H takes on its vev. In the limit mB0 (also taking L ⊃ ˜ 2 ˜ 2 ˜ 2 ˜ 2 ˜ 2 ˜ 0 2 λ ˜ ˜ ˜ 0 ˜ ˜ mSjSj þ mTjTj þ mH0 jH j þð AλS T H þ H:c:Þ: ϵ → 0), B0 pairs with H0 to form a Dirac neutralino that is 0 ˜ ð6Þ degenerate with Z . A nonzero mB0 splits this state into two 0 0 Majorana mass eigenstates, which we denote χ1 and χ2, In the (S;˜ T˜ ) basis, the scalar mass matrix can be written as 0 0 ˜ 0 with mχ1